Valerie Harper is talking to ABC about producing and starring in a TV movie based on the life of acclaimed author Pearl S. Buck.

Harper portrayed Buck in “Pearl,” which ran here in New York last year and chronicled the life of “The Good Earth” author, who was raised in China.

“We’re developing a piece based on the play, because I think there’s a real interest in China and in a prominent American woman of great import to the century,” says Harper. “It’s on the fast track and we’re meeting with ABC.

“We’re not going to put the play on TV — we’re going to take [Buck’s] life, which was so rich and dramatic . . . and we’re going to hammer into it.”

Harper says ABC wants a two-hour TV movie — which could expand into a miniseries if the material warrants.

Harper is reunited with Mary Tyler Moore in “Mary and Rhoda,” airing Feb. 7 on ABC.

Fashion by the foot

Covering Fashion Week is tough enough on a reporter — without having a broken foot to deal with.

That fate has befallen MetroChannels host Judy Licht, who broke her foot several weeks ago playing tennis.

“The last time we ran all the [Fashion Week] tapes on a weekend marathon . . . but this time we’ll have live, continuous coverage for four hours every night with all kinds of interviews,” she says, reeling off names like Bill Blass, Katie Ford, Betsy Johnson and Anna Wintour.

Licht will be conducting the interviews and providing analysis, offset by pre-produced packages and commentary from other guests.

“This is the World Series for style mavens!,” says Licht.

Last but not least . . .

Much as I like the folks at TV Land, “The Beverly Hillbillies” begins airing Monday at 9:30 p.m. on Nick at Nite.